Lamp-regulator.



PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906.

A. L. DRUM.

LAMP REGULATOR.

urmonzon FILED MR. 28. 1905 hereinafter describe The accompanying bodiment of my invention,

UNITED STA' 1Z1EW1)ATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Earch 6, 1906.

Application filed Karel: 28.1905. Burial No. 252,483.

-Thisinvention relates to lighting systems,

and more specifically to means for maintaina r onstant intensity of electric lamps.-

ob ects Wlll be in art obvious and .irrpart pointed out hereina ter.

he invention consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, ar-

,rangement of parts, utilization of principles,

which will be exem lified in the apparatus and the scope of; the ap lication of which will beindicatedin the fol owing claims. drawing represents one i various possible embodiments of my invention. I

Preliminary to a description of this emit may be noted that'in many lighting systems now in general propelled vehicle 1 nected in shunt-circuit *points" 13 use there exists a disagreeable dimming and hting of the lamps during the opening 7 closmg of the circuits through other ourrent-utilizing devices where said currentutilizing devices and lamps are connected with the same source of electric supply. The

.above and other defects are eliminated in constructions of the nature of that herein after described. v

' Referring to the drawing, the electricallyfor regulating the current of the motor from the source of supply through the conductor 4 and the trolley-5. This part of the ap aratus may be of any desired type and for t e purpose of making complete the disclosure of my invention need not be specifically described.

A solenoid 6, having an armature 7, is con- 8, which leads from the source of suppl through a suitable re sistance 9 to ground A rheostatenn 30 is ivoted at 11 and connected intermediate of ltsle'ngth by a link 12 to the armature 7 and isadapted to ass over a series of contactof t e rheostat and extending from the rheostatarm and is provided with a motor 2 for propelling the same and a controller 3 i i i cult 8 and the lamps 16 and 17.

shunt-circuit 15, adapted also to pass over the contactpomts 13. The ends ofthe rheostat-arms 10 and 15 are spaced apart to such an extent that but one of said arms can engage the contact-points 13 at the same time and are so arranged that when one is in engagement with the first of the series of contact-points the other will be just out of engagement with thellast of said contact-points. The electric lamps 16 and New lel in the circuit which comprises conductors 18, 19, and the source of supply through the lamps 16, the rheostat-arm 10, and thence through the rheostat 14 to ground. A second circuit leads from the lamps 17 through the rheostat-' arm 15, thence through the rheostat 14 to ound.

With the several arts arranged substan tially as described the operation of this embodiment of my invention is as follows: Assuming that the o erative mechanism of the electrically-propel ed vehicle is at rest and the motor-circuit open steady and unvarying currents will flow t rough the shunt-cir- The armature 7 will then be in the position shown in the dotted lines in the drawing, with the rheostat-arm 15 engaging the u permost series of contactpoints 13 of the r eostat, 14, and when the armature is in this position it will be noted that all the resistance of the rheostat 14 is in the lamp-circuit. Assuming now that the motor '2 be started by means of controller 3, the consequent drain on the source of current-supply through the motorcircuit will cause a corresponding decrease of current in the shunt-circuit and the lampcircuit due to the resulting drop in the potential of the source of current-supply, and this diminishin of current in the amp-circuit would ordinarily cause a momentary dimming of the lamps in the armcircuit. The dimlnishing of the currentsuppl to the 8 simultaneously an proportionately to that in the lamp-circuit will cause the armature 7 to withdraw bv avit from the solenoid, and by reason of t e lin connection between the armature 7 and the rhecstat-arms 10 and 15 the arm 15 will move alon' the contact points 13 of the rheostat 34, t ierehy cutting mt some of the resistance in the Iamp circuit. The resistance 14:. Attached to thus cut out from the lamp-circuit is adjusted so as to he suilicient to compensate for the diminishing of the potcntlal due 5o the startconnected in seriesparaling of the motor. Now, however, supposing that the controller should he s! 'ddonlv turned to the position shown in the drawing,the consequent drain on the sourcc oi' current-sun ply might not be entirely com pensatcd for by the cutting out of the whole resistance of the rheostat l4, and the armature 7 in its downward movement may force the rheostat'arm 15 out of engagement with the lowermost of said contactpoints l3 but in this event the IllO()Sl{Ll;-1lI'li'l 10 will simultanomsly engage with the uppermost of s id contuct-points This, it will be noticed, oil out out the lamps 17 and the current will [low only througigh the lamps l6. Inasmuch as the cutting out of the lamps 17 will still further diminish the resistance in the lamp-circuit, the candlcpower of the lamps 16 will not be varied or diminished and any further variation of the current will be compensated for and correct-- ed by the movement of the .rheostat-arm 1|) over the contact-points 13oF the rheostat 1e.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simpleand inex 'iensive apparatus whereby the currentsu ply of the lamps in on clcc tricallv-propel ed vehicle is maintained uniform during the gradual or sudden starting or stopping of the operatingnnotor, add it has for its further object also to provide :1 new and improved resistaneewarving mechanisni adapted to be used in relations of the above nature. The employment of the invention is. however, not limited to an clcctrically-propelled vehicle, but is equally applicable in any apparatus where the lamps or current-utilizing c evices are connected to a source ofsupply of varying potential.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and man apparently. widely diflercnt cmbiiahments of my lllvklk.

ition could be made without departingfrom the scope tl'iereol, I intend that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I desire it also to he nnderstimd that the language used in the following claims is int ended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as s. nmtter of language. might be said to fall therebetween.

Having; thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a regulator for electric lamps, the combination of a circuit comprisii'ig currcntutilizing devices, a lamp-circuit, a shunt-circuit, a rheostat in the. lamp-circuit a second lamp-circuit, and means located in the shunt circuit for maintaining a constant curred in either lamp-circuit during the ormiunq and closing of the circuit comprising the current- 1 utilizing devices.

2. In a regulator in! $14,364 3 k, e r",

comhinationof a circuit comprising i'ill'I'(lllutilizing devices, a lamp-circuit, a. rheostat in thelamp-circuit, a. movable rheostat-arni operating upon the rheostat, a shunt-circuit, means located in the slmnbcireuit for operat ing the movable 1l1tmStfll-aI']1], and a second lamp-circuit, the means in the shunt-circuit being adapted to operate upon thefirstnarncd lamp-circuit to maintain a uniform current in the same and siny lteneously 10 close the second circuit and maintain a uniform current in. that circuit during the opening and closing of the circuit comprising the current-titilizine devices.

3. In a regulator for electric lamps, the combination of a. circuit comprising currentutiliainp de ices, a lamp-circuit,a rheostat in the lamp-circuit. a movable rheostatr-arm tolerating upon the rhcostat, a second lampcircuit, Ill0(1i ltll tlllll extending from the movable rhcosl ill-21H and adapted to operate upon the rhcostat. a shunt-circuit, and means located in the shunt-circuit to cause the movable rhcostabarm and the rhedstatarm to operate upon the rheostat for maintaining a uniform current in either lamp-circuit during the opening and closing: of the circuit comprising the current-utilizing devices.

4. In a regulator for electric lamps, the combination of a circuit comprising; currentutilizin devices, a lamp-circuit, a rhcostat in the lamp-circuit, a second lamp-circuit, a. movable i'lieostai-ai11i operating upon the rheostat, a rheostat-arm extending from the movable rheostatearm and insulated therefrom, a sh11nt-cireuit,and means in the shunt i circuit for operating the rheostat-arm upon the ilieoslat to maintain uniform current in the first. lamp circuit, said means being adapted to disengage the rheostat-arm from the rheostat and simultaneously to engage the movable rheostat-arm with the rheostat. thereby opening the first lamp -cireuit and closing the second lamp-eircuit to maintain a uniform current during the opening and closing of the circuit comprising the currentutilizin; devices. i i

5. In a regulator for electric. lamps, the combination of a circuit comprisingcurrcntutilizing devices, :i'lamp-circuit, a rheostat located in the lamp-circuit, a pivoted rheostatarm adapted to operate upon the rheostat. a rheostat-arm extendingtrom the pivoted rheostat arm and insulated therefrom, a shunt-circuit, a solenoid located in the shuntcircuit, and means conncii'tinc; the armature oi the solenoid with said pivoted rheostat-- arm such that a movement of said armature 1 will be communicated to said first-mentioned rln mint-arm to cauae --ul l sectind-mentioned {metric lamps, the l comprisingt rheoslat nrm to more over the rheostat to maintain a uniformcurrent in I lit? lamp-circuit.

during the o wining and closing of the circuit he eurrenuntiliaing devices.

' V. first lamp-circuit and simultaneously to close I V c ing a. uniform current in eit' er iernp-eircuit 6 cogibrnstronof a. during the opening and clcsing of the circuit comprising the current'utilizing devices.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, aplurality of lamps serialy connected to a source of electric supply of varying potential, and automatic means connected with said source of supply adapted upon a fall in potential of said source ofsupp y to cut out a certain number of said lamps.

12. In apparatus of the class described, a 751 plurulitv of lamps serially connected to e {iQflGBSfli-l v 7 gi e'lsmp-circuine Zpivctecl rliecstetefnwereiing u on the rhepjstetgrrhessteu arm extendin from the movable rheostst- 'ellfll'und insulated therefrom, the ends of the s ries arm and the rheostet'erm being 7 specednpart, a. shunt-circuit, a solenoid lo-- 'i'ecsited in the shunt circuit, a linkconnecting he ermsture' of the solenoid with the pivot- H1 whereby n Increment .eiithe armeturewill eeuse'e corresponding murernent o the rheostet erm overthe rheostet to innin- 1; n constant current in the 'lernpgcircuit, V. second lump-circuit adsptegiito. eclosecl by the contacting of the moreble rlieostetarm witbthe rhecstat whereby the first lamp- 7 circuit is closed,thereby causing a constant :9 current in the second lump-circuit during the opening and closing of the circuit comprising the current-utilizing devices. t

7. The combinetion in a controller for elec tric lamps of e cireiut comprising currentdevices, a lump circiut, a rheostet source of electric supply of varying potential, and lneensconnected with said source oi sup ply adapted upon a fall in potential of said source of supply to cut out at certain number 86 of said lumps.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality of lamps serially connected to a source of electric supply of maintain ng s uniform current in said lumps u on a fall in potential of said source of supy, said means being adapted to operate to cut out a certain number of said lamps.

" iniiiierupcircuit, a shunt-circuit, menus in, 14. In an apparatus of the class described, 5 1 i t for automatically controlin combination, a plulillltt' of lamps serially circuit, and a second lsrnp-e1rconnected to a source of electric supply of curt side is be controlled by the means verging potential, a certain nurnber of amps gointhehuni-Biffcuit, the means in the shuntadapted to be connected to said source of V s'da ted to open the firstlempsupply, and means adapted to be sutoniatic- 5 circuit and simu taneously. to close the secall connected with said source of supply and end lernpscircuit during the opening and clcsadapted upon a rise in poi entinl of said source i r of the circuit comprising the 'currentof supply to connect said second-mentioned devices. i lamps with the firscmentioned lamps.

i i: S. The eombinetion in en electricelly-pro- 15. In apparatus oi the class described, in 'p'elled's' eifiele of a, circuit comprising eurrentcombinetion, a plurality of lamps serially utilizing devices, lam 'circuit and s shuntconnected to a source of electric su ly of circuit connected wit a commenseiirce of varying potential, 3 second plurality oi lamps o supply,s movable rheostet-srrnge rheoststend autmnstic means connected with sei, urrn extendingfrorn the movable rheosteterrnnnd insulated therefrom, esecondlempcircui and means in the shunt-circuit for t *fcontrolh g both lemp circuits the means in 5 the shunt-circuit being adapted to open the tential of said source of supply to connect said second-mentioned plurality of lamps with the first-mentioned lumps, said means bein adapted to maintain a uniform current in all ol said leinps. i v

16. In apparatus of the class described in combination, a plurality of lamps serially con,- nccted to a source of electric supply, means connected with said source of supply for maintaining a uniform current in the lamps, us said means being adapted upon a fall in potentinl of said source of supply to cut out one or more lumps and also to nuiintniu a uniform current inthe remainder of said lamps.

1?. In an apparatus of the class described, 120 e variable-potential source ol' upply. a circuit connected therewith embodying s plurelityof lamps, means adapted upon a change '60 It). n en electrically-propelled vehicle, the of potential of said source of en ply to maincoinbinstion of a circuit comprising currenttsin a constant current throng 1 said lamps, I 1' utilizing devices a lamp-circuit, a second means adapted upon a further change in porlemp-circuit, and a rheostet arranged to be tentinl of supplv to cut out a. certain number inserted in either lmnpcircuit formni1itninof said lamps, and means adapted upon a,

the second lamp-circuit during the opening and closing of the circuit comprising the current-utilizm% devices. 5o 9, In an e ectricelly-propelled vehicle, the

' combinsticn ef a cir'cuit comprising currentutiliii'ng devices, clamp-c rcuit, s second lamp-circuit, and means fornutomatically opening the first lamp-circuit and siinults' neously closing the second lamp-circuit, the said means being adapted to maintain a uniform current'in one of said lamp-circuits durin the o" smug and closing of the circuit comprism t e current-utilizing devices.

varying potential, and automatic means or 85 source of supply adapted upon a rise in po still furtherehange of potential of the source a variable-ptential source of supply, a plurality of lamps connected in a circuit therefrom, means adapted to compensate for initial change in the potential of the supply to current through said I change in the potential maintain a uniform lamps, upon a further of the supply to cut out certain of said lamps and to compensate for a still further in. the potential of the supply to maintain a uniform current through said lamps.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, a source of supply, current-utilizing devices and a lamp system connected 'therefrom, means adapted upon a variation of the tential of the current-supply caused by the operation of the current-uti izingdevices to maintain a constant current through said lamp system, means adapted upon a different operationof to cut out a part of said lamps and upon further operation of said utilizing devices to maintain a constant current 'through the remainder of said lamps. f

20. In an apparatus of the class described, a source of supply, currentutilizing devices and a lamp system connected in shunt thereoin, means adapted upon a variation of the potential of the current-supply caused by the operation of the current-utilizing devices to maintain a constant current through said lamp system, means adapted upon a differ ent operation of said current-utilizing devices to cut out a part of said lamps and upon further operation of said utilizing devices to maintain a constant current through the remainder of said lamps.

the remainder of I said current-utilizing devices change i tary current-ut l1z1ngdevices, upon a further ling upon the operation supplied thereto.

23. In apparatus of the class described, a source of current-supply, current-utilizing devices connected therewith, a lamp system also connected therewith, and means adapted upon the operation of the current-utilizing devices initially to determine the cur rent supplied to said lamp system secondarily to determine the number of lamps in said system andfurther to determine the current supplied to the final number of said lamps.

In testimony'whereof I aflix my signature in the pr sence of two Witnesses.

ALPHONSUS L. DRUM.

Witnesses GEo. W. MILLER, W. F. WANATKE. 

